Brussels: The European Parliament’s Rapporteur on Turkey’s accession progress, Nacho Sanchez Amor, emphasized the European Union’s support for Cyprus, criticizing Turkey’s two-state solution proposal, which he argued would result in the occupied areas becoming a province of Turkey.
According to Cyprus News Agency, during a press conference discussing his report, which was debated on Tuesday evening, Amor expressed his commitment to introduce an oral amendment concerning Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus. This issue is set to be debated before the European Parliament’s plenary session late on Wednesday.
Responding to a Cyprus News Agency inquiry regarding Turkey’s threats to EU member countries and the perceived absence of political context in his presentation, Amor clarified that the report was focused on Turkey, not exclusively on Cyprus, although it contains several paragraphs addressing Cypriot issues.
Amor stated his intention to introduce an oral amendment addressing President Erdogan’s visit and his statements over the weekend. He reaffirmed the EU’s position supporting a UN framework for a bizonal, bicommunal solution, countering Turkey’s revived two-state solution approach. The EU’s consistent defense of Cyprus and its citizens’ rights remains apparent throughout the report.
When asked about the pro-European Turkish Cypriots in the north, Amor maintained that his role was strictly focused on Turkey, not the broader situation of Turkish Cypriots. However, he noted that Turkey’s push for a two-state solution increasingly aligns the northern Cypriot community with Ankara, suggesting it resembles a Turkish province more than an independent entity.
Amor also addressed concerns about the rights of the Greek community in Turkey, particularly regarding the reopening of the Theological School of Halki and the conversion of Hagia Sofia in Constantinople into a mosque. He reiterated the report’s criticism of human rights violations, including those against religious minorities.
The European Parliament is expected to vote on the report concerning Turkey later this afternoon.